Recombinant DNA molecules encoding aminopeptidase enzymes and their use in the preparation of vaccines against helminth infections

Abstract

The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules containing nucleotide sequences encoding helminth aminopeptidase enzymes, and antigenic fragments and functionally-equivalent variants thereof, their use in the preparation of vaccines, for use against helminth parasites, and synthetic polypetides encoded by them.

1 . A transgenic organism containing a nucleic acid molecule which comprises at least one nucleotide sequence which encodes a helminth amino peptidase enzyme or antigenic portion thereof, said nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of (i) any sequence of SEQ ID NOS: 1-15 or 19-21, (ii) a sequence fully complementary to said sequence of (i), (iii) a portion of said sequence of (i) wherein said portion of said sequence encodes an antigenic peptide of said helminth aminopeptidase, and (iv) a sequence which hybridizes with said sequence of (i) or (ii) under conditions of 2× SSC, 65° C. (where SSC=0.15 M Na Cl, 0.015 M sodium citrate, pH 7.2) and which has at least 60% identity with said sequence of (i).  
     
     
         2 . A transgenic organism containing a nucleic acid comprising at least one nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide which raises protective antibodies against helminth parasites, which sequence incorporates at least one aminopeptidase-encoding sequence, selected from the group consisting of (i) any sequence of SEQ ID NOS: 1-15 or 19-21, (ii) a sequence fully complementary to said sequence of (i), (iii) a portion of said sequence of (i), and (iv) a sequence which hybridizes with said sequence of (i) or (ii) under conditions of 2× SSC, 65° C. (where SSC=0.15 M NaCl, 0.015 M sodium citrate, pH 7.2) and which has at least 60% identity with said sequence of (i).  
     
     
         3 . A transgenic organism containing a nucleic acid comprising at least one nucleotide sequence which corresponds to or which is complementary to one or more sequences selected from the group of sequences consisting of (i) M1 (SEQ ID NO:1), (ii) B1A (SEQ ID NO:2), (iii) B1A-3′ (SEQ ID NO:3), (iv) B2 (SEQ ID NO:4), (v) M1AUS (SEQ ID NO:5), (vi) AustB1 (SEQ ID NO:6), (vii) 014-015 (2.5PCR) (SEQ ID NO:7), (viii) 014-872 (3.5PCR clone 2) (SEQ ID NO:8), (ix) A-648 (5′ END of B1) (SEQ ID NO:9), (x) A-650 (5′-end of 2.5PCR) (SEQ ID NO:10), (xi) α-649 (5′ end of 3.5 PCR) (SEQ ID NO:11), (xii) 014-178 (3′ end of AustB1 clone 2) (SEQ ID NO:12), (xiii) 014-178 (3′ end of AustB1 clones 3 and 6) (SEQ ID NO:13), (xiv) 014-872 (3.5PCR clone 10) (SEQ ID NO:14), (xv) 014-872 (3.5 PCR clone 19) (SEQ ID NO:15), (xvi) H11-1 (SEQ ID NO:19), (xvii) H11-2 (SEQ ID NO:20), (xviii) H11-3 (SEQ ID NO:21), and (xix) a sequence which hybridizes with any of said sequences of (i)-(xviii) under conditions of 2× SSC, 65° C. (where SSC=0.15 M NaCl, 0.015 M sodium citrate, pH 7.2) and which has at least 60% identity with said sequence of (i)-(xviii).  
     
     
         4 . A transgenic organism in accordance with  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein said organism is a nematode.